Can sow diets enriched with extruded flaxseed replace antibiotics in starter feeds for piglets?

Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Prairie Swine Centre by admin on August 9, 2016

Authors: L. Eastwood, D. A. Gillis, M. R. Deibert and A. D. Beaulieu

Reference: Western Hog Journal Fall 2015

This study aims to test whether the addition of omega-3 fatty acids into lactating sow diets can replace the use of growth promoting antibiotics in weaned piglet diets. Two groups of sows (one weaned at three weeks and one at four) were were fed one of two diets; control or omega-3. At weaning, 10 piglets were selected from each sow and split into two groups of five. One group was fed a diet containing antibiotics (LS50) and the other was fed the same diet without the antibiotic. After the first week piglets were fed a common phase 2 diet. Each nursery room was not washed before piglets were moved in to ensure they were immunologically challenged. All piglets completed the trial at 56 days of age. Piglet performance was monitored throughout the trial and blood samples were taken at 2 days post weaning.

Sow feed intake, number of piglets born, piglet growth, or the number of piglets weaned per litter was unaffected by diet. Sows fed omega-3 diets had higher levels of omega-3 in their milk. Sow diet also did not affect piglet average daily gain, average daily feed intake, gain:feed, or final body weight in the nursery. In piglets weaned at three weeks of age, average daily feed intake was higher in the fourth week in the nursery for piglets not fed antibiotics. Piglets weaned at four weeks and also fed antibiotics had higher average daily gain in week one, which increased gain:feed. Growth and gain:feed were unaffected by antibiotics in weeks two to four. Feed intake was higher for pigs fed antibiotics in weeks three and four. Piglet weight was unaffected by sow or nursery dietary differences. Piglets weaned at three weeks of age were consistently heavier that piglets weaned at four weeks. When weaned at three weeks, no differences were seen in the blood samples between diets. When weaned at four weeks, piglets weaned from sows fed omega-3 diets had lower white blood cell counts relative to control. White cell counts were unaffected by phase one diet; sow diet and phase one diet did not affect other blood parameters. Regardless of diet, piglets weaned at three weeks of age had lower creatine kinase, aspartate aminotransferase, and white blood cell counts relative to four week wean.

In a high health herd, the use of in feed antibiotics post weaning has no benefit. Piglets weaned at three weeks of age have heavier body weight than those weaned at four weeks. This may be in part to the lower levels of creatine kinase and aspartate aminotransferase, which are enzymes related to muscle breakdown.

Flaxseed replace antibiotics Eastwood

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